


From Blood and Ash: The Stygian Emblem

by levis_bitcc



Category: Blood and Ash Series - Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: Betrayal, F/F, F/M, Love, M/M, Multi, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:07:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29923527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/levis_bitcc/pseuds/levis_bitcc
Summary: Retribution-Daciana Wardell is as stubborn headed as her father and far less tame-able, but that doesn't stop her from following Poppy until her very last breath.Enraged with grief, Daciana seeks revenge for her father's death, however she must first overcome the betrayal of the person whom she deemed a very close friend.Now furious with herself, Daciana must decide if what she knew is a lie and she must decide if what she's learned is the truth.Warrior-Kieran Contou, a Wolven, and closest friend to the Dark One seeks what the Dark One wants. Revenge for his people, freeing the eldest prince of Atlantia, and peace.Their plans however, take a change when the Dark One meets Poppy and begins to fall in love.His loyalty to the Dark One has never once wavered, but soon enough when he meets Daciana, Kieran begins to challenge his authority when it comes to her safety and well being.
Relationships: Kieran Contou/Original Character(s), Poppy Balfour/Casteel Da'Neer
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	From Blood and Ash: The Stygian Emblem

**Author's Note:**

> • ALL THINGS RELATED TO FBAA ARE CREDITED TO JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT  
> • ALL ORIGINAL IDEAS ARE MY OWN  
> •MAJOR SPOILERS FOR FBAA (NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ IT)  
> •PROFANITY WARNING  
> •EXPLICIT SCENES  
> •TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES

“They found Finley this eve, just outside the Blood Forest, dead.”  


I looked up from my deck of cards and glanced at Poppy only to see that she’d done the same. We exchanged a brief look of concern before engaging once more in the ongoing card game. I’d caught Poppy sneaking out of her room using the old passageways the servants used decades ago and had insisted I went along with her if only to have some fun myself.  


As Poppy’s personal Lady in Waiting and the daughter of one of her personal guards, it was my duty to serve Poppy and to help with her needs.  
Especially when she was the Maiden.  


The men we were in a game with were guards from the Rise—the mountainous wall constructed from the limestone and iron mined from the Elysium Peaks.  


Ever since the War of Two Kings ended four centuries ago, the Rise had enclosed all of Masadonia, and every city in the kingdom of Solis was protected by a Rise. Smaller versions surrounded villages and trading posts, the farming communities, and other parsley populated towns.  


The atmosphere of the Red Pearl tonight was lively, not too bad considering it was a brothel. Boisterous laughter erupted from a nearby table startling me slightly. Light music filtered through the midst of flowing conversations and the tavern was brightly lit, casting a very lively feeling. A woman wearing a sheer dress with a scandalous neckline and an even more scandalous slit along her hip, down to the very end of her dress, walked past our table. A tray filled with cups full to the brim in her hand while the other swayed back and forth freely on her side as she walked.  


“Dead?” the other guard said, a younger one with brown hair and a soft face. His name was Airrick, and he was only a few years younger than my own nineteen years. “He wasn’t just dead. Finley was drained of blood, his flesh chewed up like wild dogs had a go at him, and then torn to pieces.”  


I almost shuddered at the thought of what Finley would have looked like, but I smothered that feeling and curled my fingers around the cards in a vice-like grip. While wild dogs wouldn’t drain blood from humans, the Craven would. Not to mention, wild dogs wouldn’t dare go near the Blood Forest, and for good reason. It was kill or be killed in the Blood Forest and every living thing was a food source.  


That itself was not a good thing.  


“And you know what that means,” Airrick went on, “They must be near. An attack will—”  


“Not sure this is the right conversation to be having,” an older guard cut in. Phillips Rathi, whom I knew of, had been on the Rise for years, which was rare. He nodded to Poppy and I. “You’re in the presence of ladies.”  


Ladies?  


Poppy and I were far from ladies, and we were especially no one of importance here at the Red Pearl. As far as we knew, we were just two girls trying to have some fun during a late night inside the Red Pearl.  


“We’re no ladies,” Poppy said. “You’re more than welcome to talk about whatever you wish.”  


I nodded my head. “Agreed.”  


“Be that as it may, a little less morbid topic would be welcomed,” Phillip replied, sending a pointed look in the direction of the other two guards.  


Airrick lifted his gaze to Poppy’s. “My apologies.”  


“Apologies not needed but accepted.” Poppy said in response.  


The third guard, someone who I was unfamiliar with, had ducked his chin. His cheeks pinkening with light embarrassment. The guards who worked the Rise went through vicious training and had seen enough death and pain to know how frightening death could be. And yet, this guard blushes over a small and simple thing.  
How quaint  


Those who came back from the Rise usually suffered grave wounds, most never returned, and those who did, fared worse.  


Often coming back wrong--  


Cursed.  


Becoming bloodthirsty and horrifically vicious and uncontrollable. Their fingernails turned into claws and four elongated canines sprouted from their mouths. They couldn’t even kill themselves before fully turning--a perk of the curse I was not particularly fond of.  


The cards we were dealt were terrible. I hadn’t gotten the upper hand once and I was notorious for winning a game of cards. Sucking my teeth with distaste, I went through my cards again.  


“Whoever shuffled these cards has a horrible hand.”  


Airrick grinned as he put a five of swords down. “Apologies, but I’m afraid tonight has been one of my unluckiest ones,”  


I put my own card down—an ace of pentacles—and gave him a sideways glance, “Anyone with two eyes can see that.” I say blandly.  


Phillip let out a loud laugh and slapped the table while Poppy simply smirked as she waited her turn. The other guard coughed into his hand and Airrick chuckled. A few heads swiveled our way, but we paid them no mind as Airrick smiled widely. “Well then would you consider the honor of dealing the next round, my lady?”  


I scrunch my nose as Phillip set his card down after Poppy’s. “I would, but playing with you seems to bore my winning streak. You’re an easy play.” I held Airrick’s gaze and said, “Need I remind you, I am no lady. I’m simply here trying to enjoy a game of cards.”  


Airrick let out a low whistle then, “Ouch. You’ve a fiery way of words, Miss _I-am-no-lady.”_  


Phillip snickered and I rolled my eyes.  


“Are you so sure you’re going to win this game?” Airrick continued as he placed his last move—a queen of coins—onto the slowly growing pile of played cards.  
Before I could stop myself, a slow and feline smile lifted the corners of my mouth. “Are _you_ so sure you aren’t going to lose this game?” I said as I dropped my last cards atop Airrick’s.  


A king of crowns and a mage of wands were stronger than a queen of coins card.  


Poppy chuckled then, dropping her cards as I had so obviously won the game.  


The third guard huffed, “Damn, if only I’d gotten to put my cards down first,” he grumbled as he threw his cards onto the table. A queen of wands and an ace of wands would have won the game.  


They were the only four cards that could win a game of Kings and Queens.  


Phillip laughed again and slapped a smiling Airrick’s shoulder. “Better luck next time, Airrick. It seems she’s gotten the upper hand on you.”  


“Indeed she does.”  


I dipped my head respectfully at Airrick and Phillip before saying my goodbyes as Poppy and I began to explore the rest of the Red Pearl.  


“Do you want to stay together or split off for a little while?” I asked Poppy.  


She glanced at me from the corner of her eyes before looking away to where a man and a woman were doing explicit things at a table where a game of cards was occurring.  


“You can go off on your own. Meet back here every hour.” Her emerald green eyes held my dark honey colored ones.  


“Try not to disappear, Poppy. You know he’d kill me if you did.”  


She grinned then. “Viktor wouldn’t kill you. Strangle you, yes. But kill you? No. He loves too much to do that.”  


She and I gripped the other’s elbow, our way of saying goodbye to one another.  


“Don’t forget that he loves you too, Poppy.” I said as I squeezed her arm. “You’re my sister from another mister, so yes, he’d definitely kill me if you disappeared.”  


Poppy smiled. “No promises.”  


I rolled my eyes, _“Poppy.”_  


She laughed and then we parted ways.


End file.
